Cherry Chocolate Cobbler
This cherry chocolate cobbler is insanely delicious! Sweet cherry filling is topped with flaky chocolate chunk (or chip) biscuits.
As much as I love a good brownie or ultra-chocolate dessert, there’s something really wonderful about eating a fresh cherry pie in the middle of summer.
It’s the best. Or rather, this amazing cherry pie is the best.
But the last few years, I’ve had to find a serious reason to also make this chocolate cherry cobbler. And yes, “just because” is a totally valid reason.
It is crazy delicious and has become one of my favorite desserts over the last few years!
The Chocolate Cherry Combo
I’ve never been a huge fan of the chocolate-cherry combo, if I’m being honest.
I think I developed an aversion to the flavor combo early in my youth when I snuck into my grandma’s chocolates thinking I was getting a chocolate caramel only to bite into it and spray sticky sickly sweet cherry juice and chocolate shards everywhere. It was traumatic.
However, since I’m all grown up and quite mature now (ha), I have found a few chocolate cherry combinations that are not found in a rectangle box of chocolates but are very, very tasty.
And this chocolate cherry cobbler is one of them.
The chocolate flavor is a subtle splurge in the way of chocolate chunk biscuit topping. It works. And it’s delicious.
Fresh vs. Frozen Cherries
You can use either fresh or frozen cherries in this cobbler. I included some notes in the recipe if using frozen cherries.
The pitted cherries get tossed with:
- sugar
- cornstarch
- lemon juice
- vanilla + almond extracts
Easy Biscuit Topping
For the sweet, chocolatey biscuits, I combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and grate the cold (or frozen) butter in using the large holes of a box grater.
You can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or two knives or use a food processor. But the grating-butter-trick is easy, and the cleanup is minimal.
Toss in semisweet chocolate chunks…or chocolate chips…or mini chocolate chips.
And add the egg + buttermilk.
The key to a really soft, tender, flaky biscuit is to mix the dough just until it comes together.
It’ll look a little rough and shaggy. That’s ok! All is as it should be.
Press or roll the dough out onto a lightly floured counter about 1/2-inch thick and cut the biscuits into 12 squares.
Assemble the Cobbler
To assemble the cobbler, spread the cherries evenly in a lightly greased 9X13-inch pan, top with the biscuits and bake until golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
For frozen cherries, I like to bake the cherries by themselves first for about 10 minutes before adding the biscuit topping. It gives them a bit of a head start so the filling will thicken up perfectly.
This unique chocolate cherry cobbler is a fantastic way to get a cherry pie fix…without fussing over homemade pie crust. (It’s just as tasty as cherry pie, I promise!)
Those chocolate chunk biscuits are so delightful! The little nubbins of chocolate give the perfect hint of something special to the sweet cherry filling.
I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will: this chocolate cherry cobbler is infinitely yummier served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM!
One Year Ago: Mexican Street Corn Salad
Two Years Ago: Cherry Pie Cookie Bars
Three Years Ago: Tender Grilled Salmon
Four Years Ago: Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
Five Years Ago: Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Six Years Ago: Classic Chocolate Mint Brownies
Seven Years Ago: 30-Second Chocolate Turtle Cookie Sundaes
Eight Years Ago: The Lava Flow Drink
Cherry Chocolate Cobbler
Ingredients
Cherry Filling:
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds (8-10 cups) pitted sweet cherries (fresh or frozen – see note)
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (see note)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
Biscuit Topping:
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, cold or frozen
- ¾ to 1 cup (113 to 170 g) semisweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (regular or mini)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- Coarse sugar, like turbinado for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract (if using). Toss to combine well. Spread the filling in the prepared pan.
- For the biscuit topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use the large holes of a box grater and grate the butter into the dry ingredients. Toss to coat the butter pieces evenly with the flour. Add the chocolate chunks or chips and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl or in a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together. It may help to ditch the spatula and start mixing with your hands. Don’t over mix – just press the dough together until it forms a shaggy ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and pat or lightly roll into a 10X6-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 pieces.
- Arrange the biscuits evenly over the cherry filling (I place them in three rows of four biscuits each). Sprinkle the biscuits with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges of the pan. To check for doneness, gently lift a biscuit – if it’s still raw on the bottom, continue to bake for a few more minutes. Try not to over bake or the biscuits might be dry.
- Let the cobbler cool for about 30 minutes; the filling will thicken as it cools. Serve warm with ice cream.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from the Food Network Magazine September 2018 (added baking soda, altered recipe for frozen cherries, added weight measures, etc)
I would like to use tart rather than sweet cherries in the recipe because I like the combination of tart cherries combined with a sweet filling for cherry pies. Would I just need to add an extra cup of sugar to the filling ingredients?
Hi Ruth, yes, if you use tart cherries, I would add more sugar (maybe 1/2 cup or so)
Could I put a brownie bottom on this under the cherries?
I haven’t tried that, but you could definitely try it out!
When you say sweet cherries are you saying bing cherries?
Yes, those work!
This was fantastic. Rave reviews from the whole family and we will definitely make it again. (Usually I prefer desserts with tart cherries but this was perfection as written.) Thank you Mel!
This was delicious! Just one hint for others: use only sweet cherries, not sour. I used a mix of both sweet and tart cherries, and the sour cherries didn’t go as well with the chocolate, but the sweet cherries tasted divine! Thanks, Mel!
This was so good! I made half in a smaller pan since there’s only two of us. Will make again for sure!
Do you have the calories per serving?
I don’t – sorry!
Can you use box biscuit mix and just add the chocolate chips to that or is it a different texture?
I think it would depend on the brand of boxed mix…
Love it! I really like how balanced the filling and topping are <3
I made this with some cherries we had that kids weren’t loving because they “weren’t sweet enough”, and had enough to make a half batch of filling, but still made the full batch of the biscuit topping. It was so good! It wasn’t something I didn’t know I needed in my life!! The top was like a scone and so good! Thank you!
I’m so happy you tried this and loved it, Ashlee! Thanks for letting me know!
Made this tonight with a few alterations for my child with food allergies and it was DIVINE! Even my littlest kids loved it!
So, so happy to read this, Mckenzie! I especially love when recipes convert well to be allergen-friendly. Yay!
Could I make it without the chocolate chips?
Yes, I think so!
Amazing!! Dark chocolate chunks are heavenly in this!
Thanks, Becky!!
This was a yummy Fourth of July dessert paired with some homemade ice cream! Almost like a chocolate chip cookie and cherry pie. I used fresh cherries, and it was a LOT of pitting of cherries, but everyone ate it up.
Thanks for letting me know what you thought, Kylie!
Could you use a 14.5 oz can of Organic Montgomery Cherries for the filling? I have this in my pantry. Thanks:)
That’s a good question, Shannon! Are they in a thick juice or pie filling of sorts or are they canned in water/juice?
You must be in my house listening to our debates. Made your cherry pie last week and my husband wanted to put chocolate ice cream on it. I cringed and said that was not a good combo to me. then we began talking about chocolate and cherries This is the perfect fix! We love making your cherry pie and your biscuits never fail me, so I am sure this will be delicious with chocolate chunks for more chocolate action.
Haha, I’m glad I’m not the only one who discusses important issues like this! I’m normally not a huge fan of chocolate/cherry (as in, the little chocolate cherry candies are not for me!), but I love this one!
OMG, this is the perfect combination, for sure. I LOVE fresh cherry desserts so much! And now that I buy frozen pitted ones it’s a no-brainer. We’re in winter here, and in lockdown, so this is a ray of sunshine on some bleary days. Hope you’re all good Mel!
Thanks, Paula! I hope you are well, too!